Dutch order navy radar improvement

HENGELO, Netherlands, June 27 (UPI) -- Radars on four Dutch navy air defense and command frigates are to be modified for enhanced early detection of ballistic missiles.

The modification to four SMART-L volume search radars installed on the De Zeven Provincien class ships will be performed by Thales Nederland under a contract from the country's Defense Materiel Organization.

"This contract confirms our leading position world-wide in naval sensor technology and system integration," said Thales Nederland President Gerben Edelijn. "Through this contract we support NATO's long-term plans for a maritime defense against ballistic missiles."

With the upgrade, SMART-L radars will be able to detect ballistic missiles shortly after launch, track several threats simultaneously and make an accurate calculation of each missile's ballistic trajectory and estimate point of impact.

SMART-L is a volume search radar, meaning it scans large volumes of the air space for missile detection "without external cues," the company said.

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